My feet were quick as I left the village grounds and entered the outset of the forest. The rainy season wasn't here yet, so the ground was mostly dry. I looked around and there was no one there. Fang had certainly said he would wait around here.

I walked a little further, lifting the hem of my dress, into the blanket of trees from where the village was not visible anymore. There was too much foliage here and there was no automobile in sight. Suddenly, I heard hooves and wheels running towards me and I turned around to see a carriage speeding towards me.

A carriage! In these times!

I moved out of the way and the carriage came to halt a little ahead of where I stood. It was navy blue in colour, with a leather exterior and two black horses that pulled the carriage. The coachman wore a simple attire but did not bat a lash at me, as if not daring to look at me. He got down and opened the carriage door for me.

Fang seated inside comfortably, crossing one of his legs over the other. A big grin spread across his lips as his eyes checked me from top to bottom, satisfied with his choice of dress.

"Are you serious?" I asked in a ridiculed tone, raising my eyebrows, "this is the 20th century. There are cars out there" Was the century-old dress he gifted not enough that he brought this as another addition to my embarrassment. He was a shameless man, but that did not mean he pushed such things onto me as well.

"Not in Adalolpha," He said, referring to the cars I spoke about. "You know how the king loves century-old setting. Plus, it goes perfectly well with the theme of your dress" A sly smile came to settle on his face, enjoying the awkwardness I was going through.

I gritted my teeth and spoke in an irritated tone, "what does my father's choice have to do with you bringing this stupid box?"

Fang rolled his eyes with impatience. He was seated on the other end of the carriage and moved a little towards where I stood outside and said, "The king has given such carriages for all the ministers to travel, get in now before the wolfs from Winterwells come sniff for me" Fang extended his hand ahead for me to take, "Here take my hand"

My eyes narrowed at his hand. "I don't need your help," I huffed, holding the hem of my dress and placing my foot on the foothold, then holding onto the metal rail at the side.

It wasn't some impossible task to do. I pushed myself up and there I was, perfectly fine. My foot stepped inside the carriage, but when I brought the other foot inside, it got stuck in the dress and made me lose my balance. I stumbled ahead as I almost fell, but my hand came to settle on Fang's shoulder for support to prevent my fall.

My dumb luck!

I quickly pulled myself, but he held my wrists to pull me back towards him, closer than before. With nothing to support the jerk, my knee came to rest on the seat next to where Fang sat. If he would have pulled me even a little more, I might have straddled him.

The coachman shut the door behind me and I can tell he did not dare to lift his eyes up and see what this puerile minister was doing.

"Let go," my voice was low so the coachman wouldn't listen. I pulled myself again, but he only pulled me closer. Resistance with Fang was always futile. He was stronger than he looked and my strength always failed against him. The more I tried to make the distance, the closer he would get.

Fang looked up at me as I was in a half-standing state, with one of my knees beside him on the seat and my other leg on the carriage ground.

His evil smile was here, and it only made me crease my brows. Fang played his tongue through his teeth, running it over his canines. One more tug from him and I bent down, lips coming closer to make me turn my head to the other side. Fang's words came in a whisper near my ear, "I have never thought women on top can look this beautiful. Personally, never tried that, but if that is your preference, then we can always experiment"

My eyes filled with rage as I looked at his playful black eyes. "Let go," I growled.

Fang hummed as his deep voice reverberated in the insides of the carriage, "You look beautiful today, little one." Our eyes met, and he held so much fire in his I felt I might burn if I kept looking into them. A devil he was.

He let go of my hand, and the carriage moved, making me almost slip in Fang's embrace, but he held my waist and pushed me up gently before making me sit beside him.

There was a seat on only one side of the carriage, and I hated to share it with him. My eyes turned to him and he was staring at me with his chin resting on the back of his hand, whose elbow was on the windowsill. I narrowed my eyes on him and he had a saint-like smile on his face, as if he descended from heaven, but I knew how much of evil he was. There was so much irritation that his presence caused me.

"Stop staring at my face," I said, rolling my eyes.

Fang shrugged, "It is hard not to look when something this beautiful is sitting beside me. It is going to burn me when the people are going to look at you tonight"

He was, without a doubt, the biggest and the most shameless flirt I had met. But he had masked faces and ulterior motives that made me doubt if he really wanted me because I was his soulmate or was there more to it. Whatever it was, I had a feeling I would find it out today at the castle. My intuition was talking loud, so I had to be careful today, because I might tread on eggshells during the feast.

"You know I can hear your thoughts, right?" said Fang.

It had me panic for a moment, but then I composed myself, "You must love it in my head, hearing all the spiteful thoughts directed towards you."

Fang chuckled, as if he loved to hear how much I hated him. I could tell a person like him would never lose their cool, as he would always have some price in exchange or other options open. "You might be right," he said, and I gave him a questioning look.

"Right about what?" There were too many theories I had formed about him and his answer was too open-ended.

"Maybe everything." Fang did not meet my eyes, instead was casually correcting the cuffs of his shirt. There was no use or need for me to pry further for the answer, or he might corner me for another unreasonable price to pay. He snickered at what I just thought, and it made me roll my eyes before I continued to look out of the window.

Worry lingered in my mind more than what it was before. Fang had confirmed my gut feelings. It was only a matter of time before I came close to whatever evil was planning and plotting in his head.